Invitation from the Symposium Organizers

we have the pleasure of inviting structural chemists, chemists working on dynamics, and computational chemists around the globe to visit Dallas, Texas, USA in the first week of March, 2014 and to attend the ASMD@D 2014.

The first twenty-three Austin Symposiums (see Previous Programs) took place in Austin in the time from 1966 to 2010 organized by James (Jim) E. Boggs. In deep sadness, we had to convey to many of the previous participants of the Austin Symposiums that Jim passed away in early June of this year, shortly before he would have celebrated his 92nd birthday.

The twenty-three Symposiums Jim organized have been important gathering points for internationally recognized experts, researchers, and students working in structural chemistry, molecular dynamics, and computational chemistry. Thousands of scientists with expertise in diffraction methods, spectroscopy, and calculational methods have taken advantage of previous ASMDs to present and discuss novel methods and techniques, unusual molecular structures, and interesting reaction dynamics. In the past ASMDs have been often the incubator of new research projects and in more than one case initialized work that was recognized by the Nobel committee (see History). In 2012, the Austin symposium moved to Dallas, became ASMD at Dallas (ASMD@D) and was organized for the first time by the CATCO group at Southern Methodist University (SMU), Dallas, Texas, USA. CATCO will also organize the 2014 Symposium.

The 25th Austin Symposium will be in memoriam of James E. Boggs celebrating his scientific accomplishments and his enormous work for the Symposium.

On the occasion of the 25th Austin Symposium, a special issue of J. Phys. Chem. A will be published. We invite all Symposium participants to contribute to this issue. Details will be given in due time.

In 2014, the venue of the ASMD@D will be as in 2012 the Double Tree Hotel at the Campbell Center, which is at the periphery of Downtown Dallas and provides besides a modern conference center, a comfortable environment for ample discussions and leisure time. The hotel can be easily reached in a 40-minute taxi drive (26 miles) from the Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport or, alternatively, a 10-minute taxi or shuttle drive from the national Dallas Love Field Airport (6 miles).

ASMD@D 2014 will begin on Saturday, March 1. There will be more than 50 plenary and invited lectures and two poster sessions in the time from Saturday to Tuesday evening. The Symposium Banquet with lecture and presentation of the ASMD@D prices will take place at SMU.

ASMD@D 2014 will be organized in the spirit of previous symposia and it will be a special celebration of the 25th anniversary:

Listen and discuss

Meet international experts

No parallel sessions

A place where important interdisciplinary work can start

A place where new positions can be found

ASMD@D will be a symposium with ample time for listening to colleagues, getting inspired and informed, and engaging in scientific discussions so hat the seed of future interdisciplinary projects can be laid. Helpful in this connection is the fact that parallel sessions are avoided and that a lunch buffet (Saturday-Tuesday) at the venue that is included in the registration fee.

ASMD@D is an international rather than a national or local meeting. Similarly as done in the past, the organizers will and have already invited a number of internationally recognized scientists from the broader area of structural chemistry, spectroscopy, molecular dynamics, and computational chemistry as speakers.

We will also attempt to attract a number of younger colleagues and students. Please note that, as in previous years, ASMD@D 2014 is an excellent platform for younger scientists to establish contacts and lay the basis for future postdoctoral or academic positions.

Apart from the symposium schedule, social events in and outside of Dallas are planned. A detailed schedule will be worked out in the months to come.